HoSC: Q & A - Constitution of Pakistan (1947- 1957)

(22 April, 2015)

Name: Mustafa Munir

1- Who established the groundwork for Pakistan's foreign policy?

Liaquat Ali Khan's established the groundwork for Pakistabs foreign policy.
2- Who presented The Objectives Resolution, a prelude to future constitutions, in the
Legislative Assembly?
Liaquat Ali Khan presented The Objectives Resolution.
3- Who is known as Shaheed-e-Millat and when did he pass away?
The government officially gave Liaquat Ali Khan the title of Shaheed-i-Millat. Liaquat
Ali Khan was unfortunately assassinated on October 16, 1951.
4- When did the history of formulation of the constitution of Pakistan begin?
In 1940 in Lahore, the history of formulation of the constitution of Pakistan began.
5- When did the constituent assembly adopt first resolution and what was it called?
The Objectives resolution in 1940.
6- Objectives Resolution, what did it proclaim?
Objectives Resolution, the most important among those committees was the Basic
Principles Committee set up on March 12, 1949, by Khawaja Nazimuddin on the
advice of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.

7- What is considered to be the "Magna-Carta" of Pakistan's constitutional history?

The objective resolution is considered to be the Magna Carta of Pakistans
constitutional history.
8- The Constitution Assembly made up a number of committees; give name of the most
important among those committees and who set this committee and when?

HoSC: Q & A - Constitution of Pakistan (1947- 1957) Name: Mustafa Munir

(22 April, 2015)
The most important among those committees was the Basic Principles Committee
that was setup on March 12, 1949. It was set up by Khawaja Nazimuddin.
9- What was called a serious deadlock in making of the constitution during 1950?
The Basic Principles Committee's report was severely criticized and raised much
bitterness between East and West Pakistan. The Prime Minister, Khawaja
Nazimuddin, however, welcomed the report and commended it as a valuable
document according to the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. But the fact was
that the nation was not satisfied with the report and hence there was a serious
deadlock in making of the constitution.
10Who was the prime minister when the second draft of the Basic Principles
Committee was presented to the Constituent Assembly? Give the date also.
It was under Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin that the second draft of the Basic
Principles Committee was presented to the Constituent Assembly on December 22,
1952. He remained in power till April 1953 when Ghulam Muhammad removed him
from the office.
11Who brought the first constitution that was enforced in the country?
Chaudhry Muhammad Ali along with his team worked day and night to formulate a
constitution for Pakistan. His efforts led to the first constitution that was enforced in
the country on March 23, 1956.
12When the first constitution was enforced in the country?
The first constitution that was enforced in the country on March 23, 1956.
13What was the year of The Constitution and it consisted of how many articles?
1956 and it consisted of 234 articles.

HoSC: Q & A - Constitution of Pakistan (1947- 1957) Name: Mustafa Munir

(22 April, 2015)
14Which Constitution of Pakistan proved to be short lived and Martial Law was
promulgated and the constitution was abrogated?
In collusion with the Commander-in-Chief, Muhammad Ayub Khan, Iskander Mirza
abrogated the Constitution on October 7, 1958 and declared Martial Law.
15When and how did Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy replaced Chaudhry
Muhammad Ali as Prime Minister?
Soon after the adoption of the 1956 Constitution, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
replaced Chaudhry Muhammad Ali as Prime Minister on September 12, 1956.
Suhrawardy had managed to secure the office for himself by forging an alliance with
the Republican Party.
16-

How did Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy was removed from the office of the

Prime Minister of Pakistan?

Suhrawardy was at the mercy of central bureaucracy fighting to save the One Unit. Big
business groups in Karachi were lobbying against Suhrawardy's decision to distribute the
better part of the $10 million I. C. A. aid to East Pakistan and to set up a national shipping
corporation. Supported by these lobbyists, President Mirza demanded the Prime Minister's
resignation. Suhrawardy requested to seek a vote of confidence in the National Assembly,
but this request was turned down. Suhrawardy resigned under threat of dismissal on
October 10, 1957.

HoSC: Q & A - Constitution of Pakistan (1947- 1957) Name: Mustafa Munir

(22 April, 2015)
17How did Iskendar Mirza became the president of Pakistan?
Governor General Ghulam Muhammad's despotic and dictatorial policy led Iskander
Mirza and his collaborators to force him out of power. Although his removal was
necessary, yet another despot, Iskander Mirza, who was the fourth Governor General
and then the first President of Pakistan, succeeded him. He was sworn-in as the first
President under the 1956 Constitution.
18What was the philosophy of ONE UNIT?
To diminish the differences between the two regions, the Government of Pakistan
decided that all the four provinces and states of West Pakistan should be merged into
one unit.
19Who became the Prime Ministers of Pakistan in 1957 and how did they become
Prime Minister of Pakistan?
After merely a year, Suhrawardy resigned from his Premiership in October 1957. His
resignation came as a result of the President's refusal to convene a meeting of the
Parliament to seek a vote of confidence. President Iskander Mirza appointed I. I.
Chundrigar as the interim Prime Minister. Being a nominated Prime Minister,
Chundrigar held a weak position from the very beginning. He headed a coalition
government including the Krishak Sramik Party, Nizam-i-Islam Party, the Muslim
League and the Republican Party.
20Who was Malik Feroz khan Noon?
Malik Feroz Khan Noon was the last in the line of Prime Ministers under the
President-ship of Iskander Mirza. Being the leader of the Republican group in the

HoSC: Q & A - Constitution of Pakistan (1947- 1957) Name: Mustafa Munir

(22 April, 2015)
National Assembly, Noon came to power by forging an alliance with five different
political groups, Awami League, National Awami Party, Krishak Sramik Party,
National Congress and the Scheduled Caste Federation.